Stormont Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots says he can “absolutely and totally stand over” a decision to temporarily withdraw staff from post-Brexit checks at ports earlier this year.
Mr Poots said he was “very concerned” about the risk to staff and revealed that the independent charity Crimestoppers received a report of a threat against staff from a “coded source”.
He rejected the suggestion his decision was made in opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol, and went on to accuse the Stormont Agriculture Committee of conducting a “politically driven” inquiry into the matter.
Stormont Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots )NI Assembly/PA)
Giving evidence to the Stormont committee, he said he was made aware of the message to Crimestoppers during a telephone conversation with Assistant Chief Constable Barbara Gray.
Edwin Poots says Crimestoppers received coded threat to Brexit-check port staff A sign on the approach to the port town of Larne protesting against the Irish Sea border imposed by Brexit Rebecca Black, PA 03 June, 2021 10:54
Stormont Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots has defended his decision to suspend post-Brexit checks at Northern Ireland ports earlier this year.
Mr Poots said he was “very concerned” about the risk to staff.
Giving evidence to the Stormont Agriculture Committee this morning, Mr Poots claimed that the independent charity Crimestoppers received a report from a “coded source”.
He said he was made aware of this during a telephone conversation with Assistant Chief Constable Barbara Gray.
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